RE: Database language

["Zhou, Don" <dzhou at wmitchell dot edu>]

Good reply, Marc:

But if I am a vendor, I would be worried. As Charles started, it is
relatively easy to fudge with the web search, but it is complicated to
mess with the staff mode, if Innovative will make our database open.
Complicity, however, does not equal impossibility. So it is not far
fetched to extend the scenario that some institutions might come up with
their own ILS, given the talent out there. That will really cut the
costs and make the system yours in every way.

Don


-----Original Message-----
From: innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org
[mailto:innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org] On Behalf Of Marc Truitt
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2005 10:47 AM
To: IUG INNOPAC List
Subject: Re: Database language

umm... but don...

why would we wish to maintain (and keep synchronized) two databases, 
when all we really want is a standards-compliant, accessible backend for

the one we already have?  sure, you *could* do as you suggest, but it 
introduces all sorts of really messy and unnecessary complexities as to 
out-of-sync databases, links to subsidiary (acquisitions, circulation, 
serial check-in) records, etc.  i have no desire to maintain a 'shadow 
ILS' just for searching.  btdt.

i'd much prefer that my vendor recognized that at the end of the day, 
the stuff in *my* ILS belongs to *me*, and further that i should be 
entitled to do with it as i please, including querying it, changing it, 
moving it, linking it, etc.

oh, and by the way, one of my staff here reminded me of a fourth 
advantage -- in addition to the three i listed yesterday -- that an sql 
backend would present.  this one has gnawed at me since day-one here, 
and i'm really surprised that i forgot it yesterday... why on earth 
should i have to *pay* for a fixed number of slots (of fixed size, no 
less!) to query my own stuff?  if i wish to store hundreds of queries 
against my data, why should i be paying Innovative for the privilege?

essentially, for anyone still unpersuaded by the sql argument, the 
bottom line is that the issue is all about *control*.  i haven't seen an

Iomega advertisement recently, but i recall that a year or so ago, the 
firm pushed its Zip drive solution with the slogan 'Because it's *your* 
stuff.'

what i want is for Innovative to recognize that its my stuff, and to 
provide a database backend that will give me affordable, scalable and 
standards-compliant access to that stuff.

cheers,

- mt

Zhou, Don wrote:
> Has anybody ever thought about exporting the new data you cataloged
each
> day and then importing it into mysql? Then you can have your own
search
> interface. 
> 
> 
> Don
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org
> [mailto:innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org] On Behalf Of Gimon, Charles
A
> Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2005 9:08 AM
> To: 'IUG INNOPAC List'
> Subject: RE: Database language
> 
> 
> 
>>1)  an sql-compliant backend would be far more accessible for direct 
>>querying by those of us who would like to link-to or build interfaces
> 
> to 
> 
>>local data outside the ILS;
> 
> 
> Or to restate that....you could build your own web interface to the
> catalog,
> and do pretty much whatever you want. Building screens just to search
> the
> catalog
> could probably be done super-easily. Doing things that interface with
> circ,
> placing holds for example, you'd need more of a documented API (that
is,
> you'd 
> have to know more about the internals of the system and how the bits
of
> it
> work together...) My sense is that for smaller, local customizations
it
> would
> be a godsend. Rebuilding the whole web opac from the ground up with
all
> its
> functionality might not be worth it.
> 
> 
>>2)  an sql-compliant backend would be a far more flexible means of 
>>extracting reporting data from my ILS than the present black box, aka 
>>'create lists';
> 
> 
> Absolutely. Positively. Definitely.
> 
> --Charles Gimon
>   Web Coordinator
>   Minneapolis Public Library
> --
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